Reflection on Mental Health-Nursing

Reflection on Mental Health-Nursing 1
Reflection on Mental Health-Nursing
Student Name
Name of Professor
Institutional Affiliation
Date Submitted

Reflection on Mental Health-Nursing 2
Reflection on Mental Health-Nursing
A reflection is an essential tool in the field of medicine that every Nurse ought to
embrace. In this paper, I will categorically discuss how my reflection of an encounter with
schizophrenia patient who at times was reluctant to take his medication during my nursing
practicum has helped me hone further my experience in the field of medicine. In this particular
situation, I will use Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle to help me deduce the lessons I learned from this
encounter. (Barksby, Butcher, & Whysall, 2015, p.33) It does believe that by sharing my
encounter with others may also help them in their practice.
Importance of reflection
Reflection helps Nurses to identify mistakes they committed in the past & avoid
committing them again in the course of their profession. (Royal College of Nursing, 2012)
Description
There was a man aged fifty-three years who was schizophrenic. It was reported that he
had threatened to commit suicide on several occasions. After being examined & given
prescriptions, I was told to keenly observe him ensure that he took all the prescriptions as
required (Hoatson-Jones, 2016, p.21); at the right time & right dosage as we still observed his
condition before recommending him to be discharged. While attending to this client, I observed
that he was reluctant to take the prescriptions; he only did so after persuading him. I then took it
as my initiative to unmask what was wrong with him. I asked him why he was reluctant to take
the drugs upon which he revealed to me that he was not sick hence no need for medication
(Randall & Hill, 2012, p.14).

Reflection on Mental Health-Nursing 3
I knew that at times schizophrenia patients are reluctant to take drugs (Greene et al,
2018, p.130). I, therefore, decided to review the prescription & maybe switch to injection which
is efficient to administer. I also made it my obligation to supervise him as he took the drugs in
which I succeeded. I, however, became worried when the time for discharging my client came. I
knew that he will not continue taking his dosage &that could negatively impact his recovery.
One of his family members disclosed to me that my client has declined to take oral drugs on
several occasions hence they were worried whether he will ever recover. Since we could do
nothing about the prescription, I had to work out on the best way my client can be given his oral
pills without objection. I discovered that my client was fond of taking porridge. We would grind
the tablets & put the powder into the porridge which worked out well for me.
Feeling
At first, I was very pessimistic about my client’s recovery especially after noticing that he
would at times abandon taking his dosage. I was so hopeless to a point that I almost pleaded to
be shifted to another ward, (Foster et al, 2015, p.515). However, with time I noticed that these
are cases I am going to handle for most of my life hence I had to look for solution soonest
possible. I, therefore, tried the recommendations of Shuler (2014, p.701) to administer the drugs
personally. Nonetheless, I came into terms with myself after considering the client can also skip
the injections if discharged. Finally, I was happy with the family members who were open to me
& disclosed weaknesses of my client’s medication.
Evaluation